This Holiday Season, Don’t Give A Gift To A Thief
It’s been said that the true spirit of the holiday season is in giving, not receiving. With this in mind, it’s likely that you will be spending a bit of time shopping for presents, your credit card flying out of your wallet or purse like wind-blown snow.
But as you shop online, be sure you’re [...]
2010 SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA):
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will not automatically increase in 2010 as there was no increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. Other important 2010 Social Security information is as follows:
Maximum Taxable Earnings:
Social Security: $106,800*
Medicare (Hospital [...]
America Has A New Leading Lady
There’s a new leading lady topping the A-list. Her name is Emma.
Among all girls born in the United States last year, Emma was the most popular name. Isabella was second. Emily, which had been the most popular girl’s name for 12 years, was third.
The top boy’s name is Jacob for the 10th year in a [...]
Young Workers and Savings
If you’re a young worker, retirement is probably the last thing on your mind. But saving is important for your future. Social Security was never intended to be your only source of income when you retire. Even with a private pension, you will still need to save. If you won’t have [...]
Social Security Number (SSN) Misuse
When Social Security was created in 1935, a nine-digit number – the Social Security number (SSN) – was devised to keep an accurate record of each person’s Social Security earnings.
There is no Federal law that imposes broad restrictions on use of the SSN by businesses, States and local governments.
Over the years, Federal and State governments [...]
Revised Web Page for Federal Benefits
Finding information on Social Security matters (including Social Security numbers and cards), just got easier.
The Federal Benefits Unit’s (FBU) website now includes a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions or FAQs on a number of important issues including Social Security numbers, changing address and bank details for beneficiaries receiving benefits, filing for retirement and disability [...]
Social Security And The Budget
By law, Social Security funds are not included in the official budget calculations but unofficially, many government and media reports include Social Security funds in their budget projections.
In 1990, congress excluded Social Security income and outgoings from all calculations of the federal budget and largely exempted it from procedures for developing and controlling the budget.
However, [...]
Windfall Elimination Provision
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) primarily affects individuals who have earned a pension from working for a government agency or organization where they did not pay Social Security taxes, and also worked at other jobs where they paid Social Security taxes long enough to qualify for Social Security retirement or disability benefits. It may also [...]
Some IMPORTANT Numbers to Think About
Did you know that Social Security will pay $53.7 billion to 50.9 million beneficiaries in 2009? Did you also know that this will be paid to 32.3 million retired workers and three million of their dependents?
But did you also know that some people who get Social Security benefits will have to pay taxes on [...]
Are You Thinking About Retiring?
Retirement can have more than one meaning these days. It can mean that you have applied for Social Security retirement benefits or that you are no longer working. Or it can mean that you have chosen to receive Social Security while still working part-time.
All of these choices are available to you. And your retirement decisions [...]
